Air gauge



March 3, 1931. c H. COX

AIR GAUGE Filed Jan. ll, 1928 I I I I f-Il IIJ I I I vI I I I I I W, ze 14d 7 ILII MQW

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INI/ENTOR O//ARLES Cox E" @Q @Wa/VV A TTORNEY I Patented Mar. 3, 1931 Ara `Gatien A.; Afii'cation sied January ii, i928. ,serial iio. Mensak K My invention relates to an aii'gauge, es-

peciallyada'ptedfrfor the inflation of vauto-y mobile tires, i y f Theobjects of this inventionare first, to

5 Vprovide adevice of this ,class which permits `tli'efoperatorto predetermin'e the air ,pressuredesired in the tire, which permitsthe operator, during inflation 'of the tire', to note the -4 increase of airy pressure therein, land 10 which, when the air the tire isrraisedto the predetermined pressure, will f audibly signal the operator 1 without removing 'the device froin" `thev tirev valve stern or the `tire ,check valve; second', to provide a devicefofthis 15 class which issimplevand economical of con-v struction, durable, efficient, ,easy to :operate and control, readily [adaptable forfinstallation on atirefinflatinghose, and a rdeviceofv this `classwhich will not readily deteriorate 20 or get out ofvorder; third, to provide adevice Vof this class v so,constructedtliat, by aslight and. quick adjustment themeclianisni, any ordinary tire' pressure vdesired may be accurate-ly determined before'inflation of the tire; fcuirtli, to piovi-defadcvice of this class in whichthe airpressuremeasuring means,

tlie'pressure relief valveLand the audible signaling ,means'is controlled directly by the air at substan'tially'l the l pressure ofA f the air iii.

.30 tlie'tire-,and in which they pressureafdj'usting ineans'and pressure relief v valve, or valve for controlling A@the audible signalling means, and their ,respectivef associated parts,V may l) made v .vj-liglit of constructionb'yieason 35 of tlie` act-ionV of fthe air under *tire pressure onlythereonfg'vfifth,to provide a novel valve means for equalizing the air pressure vwithin the gauge irresp'ectiveof thepressure ofthe air from the ysource ofsupply ;s'iXtli, to provide novel means forfadiusting'the device function Y at a l Apredetermined l pressure V; and,

seventh, to provide asia whole a noveltyconstriicted airgauge for,V automobile tires. `With vvvthese and other'obiectslinview, as

D Willappear hereinafter, myv nventi'oncon.-V

'of Vcertaingnovel features of construction,

5: pende/lL claims, reference being had toi 'the mation and", arrangement, of'parts and.

accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which `form apart of this application rin' which: l v

if 'igure' 1 is a longitudinal sectional' view of 'my airgauge lits preferredform'of construction,

certain partsV and portions `being shown in elevation to facilitatetlie illustraspectively,

ytate the illustration; igs. 4; and 5 are, re-

tio-n, FigfQ is a sideviewthereof; Fig, Y

transverse sectional viewsthereof Y l taken 'thro-ugh 4?-7'4 and' E5--'5 of Fig. l; and

a sectional view thereof( taken I l My air g bination4 d Q Lilefcliaracters of reference referto sinijofthe drawings, Y'

auge',fas referred toabove, is a comevice for coupling an air hose to.

the tire valve stein of yan automobile, a valve means for controll ingtlie*flowr of air from thc hoseqto the tire valveystem,ineans for nieasf` iiring the pressure of the air in the tire,v and means for vaudibly signalingr tothe' operator when Athe `t mined pressure.v

virc is filled withY air to "a predetei'-,

jTlie various features referred Vare embodied ina'single device and all of which cooperate to facilitate the inllating of pneu nia'tic tires. l vTheseseveral features orf'strii'ctural portions arealso supported vrin oron a unitaryy base or casing 1'.- To one sideottlie casing 1, is

connected an aii'- hose connection Y fitting 19 to which is connecteda fiexible air hose E.i To the endof the ,casi'iiof 1,4o'pposite lthe air lioseE, is secured the tireA iiiflatiiig coup1i`ng22 having'a central aiiipassage 22a having at its outereiid a right angle coupling portionl 23fwith a recess 23a therein coiiify municating with tlie passage 22a and adapted tofreceive the outer end of thev'alv'e stern. .At thev bottomof Athe recess isla rubber gasket 25y for sealingthejjoint between coupling member` 22andthe tire val-vekstem. Into,A

f'thetirel valve. 'Y

ilar partsand portions throughoutV the views j 'zoV v the' recess 2 3 extendsia screw 2e past the-gaskf Y et 25 for engagingtlie stein of the checkvalve In the casina' 1 are two axiall f alivned larfe b b b g cylindrical passages 1a, and 1?), Said passages being also aligned withthe securing portion of the coupling member' 22. One end of the chamber 1a communicates with the bore in which the securing plug portion of the coupling 22 extends. In the chamber 1a at the end thereof adj aeent the coupling member is positioned a rubber sleeve or cup member 3 i which is positioned with its openv portion directed forwardly or toward thecouplingmcmber and is secured by an annular shoulder at the outer end thereof against an annular shoulder 1 e within the eh amber 1aby a threaded plug 2. This plug is provided with an axial bore ttor conducting air under pressure into the interior of the rubber cup-shaped member 3. Within the clnunber 1a and against the head end o'l the rubber cup-shaped member is positioned a tube 4 of a diameter smaller than the chamber 1a, but with a head at one end covering preferably the Whole of the head of the rubber sleeve or cup. rI`he tube 4 is reciprocally mounted Within the chamber 1a and Q is adapted, to extend with its other end into an index tube 14. The end of the tube 4 which extends into the index tube 14 is also provided with an enlarged portion which engages the inner side or head of the tube 14 to prevent withdrawal therefrom. The index tube 14 is also positioned within and substantially fills the opposite end of the chamber 1a. VVi-thin the chamber 1a and around the tube 4 is positioned a compressi-on Aspring 6 which is adapted to retain the enlarged por tion 5 of Vthe tube 4 against the inner head of the index tube 14 and is adapted to act in 0p-Y position to the elongation othe rubber cup 3 when the latter is elongated by the pressure of the air. In the index tube14 is reciprocally mounted a valve stein 7, this stein extending through the head separauzing` the.

chambers 1a and 1b and extending with its inner end into the .tube 4. On the outer end 'ofthe stem 7 is secured a disc'va'lve 10 which slot at theouter side of the index tube 14.

The position of the stop 8 is adjusted 'by the screw 9 from the outer side of the index tube.

vtarily the pressure ofthe air in theti're.-

g On the outer side of the index tube andat the oppositesides of the slot 14aI thereinare graduations for indicating the positions at vwhich the stop 8 is to be set. y Tlie shoulder 5 ofthe tube s adaptedto 'be forced outwardly toward the stop 8v and to engage thesame for unseating the valvel() to prmitffree discharge of air-v The,enlargedlpertiol may vbe seeuthrongh theslot' Maand itils'servs as a visible :index for determining inminentorcelsaid valve Over the outer end of the chamber 1b is secured a plug 12 which is provided with an axial bore for permitting the dischargeof air at the valve 10 from the passage 1f. Around the outer end of the plug 12 is secured a Whistle 13 for audibly signaling to the operator when the air in thetle has been raised to a predetermined point.V lVithin the Vchamber 1b and between the plug 12 and the valve 10 is positionedv Va compression spring 11er normally forcing the valve stem against its seat. The unseating of the valve llln-ot only servestolfpermit air to operate therwhistle, but also serves as a relief valve so that more air cannot be forced into the tire. Y

' .Over the portion of the easing 1 in which the index tubel 14 is positioned and from which tube 14 the set screw 9 extends7 there is preferably provided a removable cov-er 26 which is in .the present instance a tubular member 26 slidably mounted over this por` tion of the .casing7 as shown best in Figs. 1, Band. Y A' rI he hose 'connection fitting 1.9 is 4secured in one end of the ehfamberlc providedin the casing 1 fat one side of and parallel to the chamber la. At the opposite end of the chamber 1c is secured a plug 1,7, Y `Against the inne-render the fitting :19 is positioned a ,valve 15 which sea-ts againstthe inner end of fthetting 19. Between the plug 17 and the ,valve A15iis a compression spring 1 6 normally forcing `,the valve 15 agai-nstit's seat. In the wall of thecha-mber 1c around the valve 15 are longitudinal grooves 1g which converge inwardly from the inner end of the fitting 19. lVhcn Yair at high pressure is directed against the valve 15 through'the hose E for unseating the same the valve is forced inwardly greater distance against the force'of the -spring 15 andthe passages of the grooves .or thebypasses-around the valve or plunger 1'5 ar e reduced to a greater extent than when air atless pressure is forced thereavainst from' the hose E, thus'equalizing or standardizing theV pressure of the air rflowing `into the passage Y1b,V the gauge elements and into t'he tire. Inlthe ittingl) is a passage 19a connecting thehose E with the chamber r.,

10. The passage y19(1is offset within the littin-g 19, as Ashown-best inlig.V In the litting is reeiprocallymounted a valve 1S which is adapted .to intercept the passage '19a`at one of the di'set portions thereiiufasshown in vFig. 6. The stem ofthe valve 18 extends outwardly to lthe side ofthe `litt-ing through a collarL 21 adapted tozseal the `space around thestem. .To the outer 'side-of the; casing 1 s pvota'lly ,cQIin'CteCl an air eolitrol valve lever 20;.4 VThis 11eve`1iSpivota11y mounted intermediate its Yends, is .positioned with one 'endet and kvover-thefexftaidei end .ofthe stein ef the arve 11d is jadapted'nermally inwardly by a compression spring 27 positioned between the outer end vthe passage 19a forces the valve 18 outwardly and permits the'air to be forced against the valve 15 unseating the same and causing air to iow into the chamber 10. This chamber 1c is connected by meansof a ypassage 1d, with the passage22a of the coupling inemf bei' 22 and the passage 2a of lthe plug 2, as shown best in Fig. 1. p The chamber lc is also connected by the passage 1], referred `'to above, with the chamber 1b'.

The-operation of'my air gauge is briefly as follows: 4 f

Then using my tire inflating means and air gauge, the tube 26 is shiftedfbackwardly uncovering the index portion of the index tube and the adjusting screw 9.y The adjusting screw is then unserewed and. the stop or lug 8 is shifted bael'wardly or forwardly on the stein 7 of the valve 10 until the same is positioned opposite the desired index on the` indeX tube, designating the predetermined pressure at Which'the tire'is to be inflated.y

The set-screw 9 is then tightened against the stem 7. Thel coupling member 22 is then placed'with its recess orrcoupling portion over the end ofthe tire valve stem and'pressed downwardly thereagainst, opening the check valve of the tire valvestem by the engage-V ment therewith of the'screw 24. The lever 2() is then depressed permitting` the air under n pressure from the hose Eto pass into the pas# sages 1d and 1f; From the passage 1d the air passes simultaneously into the passagesA 22a and 2a at substantiallyequal pressure. As the pressure in the tire is raised, the rub?.

G and permitting the tube 4 vto'slide backpressure in the tire is raised to the predeter- Having thusdescribed-my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letter v Patent is f 1. In a devicer casing having an air inlet and an air dischargecoupling at one end, said casing hav'-,V

-ing passage means connecting the iiiletrwith the coupling, a pressure gauge mechanism in the casing and in cooperative relation withv the passage meansLand a pressure equalizing i valve interposed in the passage means of the casing intermediate the inlet and the pressure `gauge mechanism, said valve comprising a yspring etuatedl piston operating in acyliiiy n i 80 2. In va device ofthe class described, a

der of varying cross sectionalarea.

casing having yan air inlet and an air disv charge couplingat one end, said casing hav-y ing passage means connecting the inlet with the coupling, a' pressure gauge mechanism ,communicating with one of said seats, a'valve of the class described, a

Cil

reciproeally mounted in said chamberadapted `normally to engage the latter seat, a spring positioned in said chamber between said;

Valve and the other seat, `the walls of the f i chamber having substantially longitudinal grooves convergingfwith respect to each other *i fromthe seat engaged by the valve toward the otherseat in the-chamber. v e

Intestimony whereof, I iiXf-my signature this thrday of January, 1928.

CHARLES H'. ooXj bei' cup 3 is elongated compressing thespring mined pressure as indicated on the index, Vthel stop 8 which, when ksecuredvto the stem 7,

shifts the stem 7 backwardly andv unseats the v valve 10 opening theend of the passage 1f l and relieving the pressure in the passages 1d and 1 f,pre'venting morejair being forced intoA enlarged portion 5 of the tube l engages the the tire. The discharge of the air fronithej i passage 1f through the plug 12 and into ythe `whistle '13 gives an' audible sound to rwarn Vthe operator that the tire is filled to the predetermined pressure. The device is then iininediately removed from the tire valve stem.

Though I have shown Vand described a parsire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination andv arrangef nient substantially as pended claims.

set forth in the ap-` 

